Snow-shield for moving vehicles.



H. FROHNAPFEL.

snow SHIELD FOR MOVING VEHICLES.

- APPHCATION FILED APR-8. l9l6.

Patented Nov. 21, 1916.

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HENRY FROHNAPFEL, 0F WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

SNOW-SHIELD FOR MOVING VEHICLES.

Application filed April 8, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY FnoHNArrnL, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of Test Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snow-Shields for Moving Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to storm fronts, and more particularly to improvements in snow shields, primarily designed for use in connection with street railway cars, although the same is capable of use in other respects, as for instance, on motor vehicles of various types.

An object of the invention is to provide a foldable snow shield, in combination with means capable of supporting and maintaining the same either in extended operative position, or closed position when folded and out of use.

The invention comprehends a snow shield having angularly related glass or equivalent transparent sections, capable of deflect ng the snow laterally away from the direct on of travel of the vehicle, the apex or meeting line of the sections being to one side of the longitudinal center of the vehicle so as not to obscure or interfere with the vision of the motorman; and preferably the transparent members having an overlapping relation to constitute a weather-proof juncture therebetween.

Details in the construction and arrangement of partsconstituting a practical embodiment of the invention will be set forth in the specific description hereinafter contained, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of the present dlsclosure, and wherein the preferred embod1 ment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an inside view, looking forwardly, of the snow shield; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectlonal view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical sect onal vlew on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: 1s a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line 4% of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the lower portion of the outer sectlon of the foldable shield, showing the inactive position of the latch employed for holdlng the shield in folded or closed condition, and, Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the latch 1n Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N ov. 21, 1916.

Serial No. 89,819.

its operating or active position when the shield is folded or closed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, A represents a car body of conventlonal or any other type, in connection with which the snow shield is to be employed, the same presenting a flat front a, provided with a glass protected sight opening for the motorman, B representing the upright frame members or posts, usually supporting the glass front referred to, the latter ordinarily being in the nature of a vertical sliding window sash and not necessary to be illustrated in detail herein, save to state that whatever nature the glass front may be, the same should be of a. character to permit access to the snow shield in advance thereof from the interior of the car to enable ready manipulation and fastening of the shield.

C and D represent the two sections of my snow-shield, the same comprising frame portions, 0, d, having one outer side and in-- wardly extending upper and lower edge members to constitute inwardly opening frames for the accommodation and securing of panes of glass or other transparent material E and F. The frame members are pivoted together at alined points on the inner faces thereof, as indicated at G to permit the frames to fold inwardly toward each other, the adjacent edges of the frames being mitered, as at g to limit the outward swinging movement of the shield members or sections, so that when spread to a maximum extent, said sections will occupy an angular relation presenting a forward vertically disposed line or apex portion H, the glass or transparent member E, extending outwardly a suflicient distance beyond its carrying frame and beyond the line H, as at E, to substantially overlap the adjoining edge of the glass or transparent member D to constitute a weather-proof joint along said line, as will be obvious. The lower portions of the frame members, 0 and (Z. are reinforced by metal braces secured to the innerface thereof and extending around said corners and a substantial distance along the upright and horizontal parts thereof. It is to be observed that the shield member C is of considerably greater width than that of the member D, so as to position the apex or meeting line H laterally to one side of the longitudinal center of the front a, so that the motorman, usually positioned at the point indicated M in the car body, will have an unbroken or clear vision through the relatively wide member C, before him.

The frame member 0, of the inner shield portion or section G, is provided with angle irons J and K, extending around the upper and lower-corner edges and secured to said edges to further reinforce the frame and serve as adequate mountings for stub pintles j and It, integral with the angle irons and extending respectively upwardly and downwardly therefrom, the upper pintle being adapted to pass through a hinge eye L on the car body, and the pintle l;- seating in a complemcntal socket or aperture in a bracket N on the car body below the shield. The pintle j, is substantially longer than the pintle 7c, in order to enable ready attachment or detach ment of the snow shield, it being simply necessary to introduce the longer pintle into the hinge eye and then raising the shield upwardly until the lower pintle alines with its receiving recess or socket, when the shield may be permitted to drop by gravity to interlock the members K and N together, while preserving the similar interlocking relation of the members J and L. Leather tabs 0 on the inner faces of the upright members of the frames 0 and (Z, will enable ready shifting or manipulation of the snow shield by the motorman from the interior of the car. 7

P is spring depressed or actuated latch, provided with a controlling lever 79 for releasing the same when desired, this latch being mounted on the inner face of the upright portion of the frame cl, near the upper end of the same, and arranged to en gage a suitable keeper or other engaging part Q, on the post B of the car body A, the outer member of the shield being supported, when in latched position, upon a bracket R, also secured to the car body beneath the shield and in which a lug S, on the outer bottom edge of the frame (1 may seat, the shield being sufficiently flexible to permit the slight deflection necessary to permit the lug to ride over the bracket to the notch or recess 1 in the latter.

Flexible oilcloth or equivalent top and bottom membersT, of approximately triangular formation are tacked around their edges to the upper and lower edges of the shield frames, these portions T being designed to render weather-proof the top and bottom openings necessitated by thespacing of the snow shield from the front of the car body to enable the angular positioning of the shield, as shown. The flexible .oilcloth or other members T are of a size to have their inner straight edges. press against the surface of the car front when the folded snow shield is in active position, and the flexible characteristic of the same enables the folding thereof inwardly between the shield sectionswhen the latter are folded to inactive or stored position, in the directions indicated by the arrows, Fig. 2, to the location shown in dotted lines in said figure.

Some means should be provided to lock the snow shield in its folded position, and to that end I provide on the front of the car body a metalkeeper U, through which a latch V, is adapted to spring into position to engage the bottom edge of said keeper, said latch member having a resilient catch v, bent from a shank portion provided with an operating knob o, and loosely pivoted upon a pin V on the outer face of the shield portion D, at the lower end memberof the frame thereof. This loose pivotal mounting is anabled by an elongated bayonet slot w, in the shank, permitting the latch to slide downwardly on the pivot W, into locking engagement with the keeper E, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, and which slot will also permit the latch to be raised out of engagement with the'keeper and swung around in the direction of the arrow,indicated in said Fig. 6, to a horizontal inactive position, as shown in Fig. 5, where the lateral offset end of the bayonet slot to will seat upon the pivot V and a notch X in the edge of the shank of the latch will underlie a stop pin Y on the frame d, the parts being formed and arranged so that the predominating weight of the lowerfportion of the latch will, by gravity; hold the latch in said-horizontal or inactive position with its lighter end bearing against the stop Y, as willbe' apparent. r

Drivers of cars or automobiles, well know the disadvantages of a flat front, or shield- V V I volving the angular disposition of the shield sections, will operate to deflect the snow and the like awayfrom the shield, both as an incident to the direction of impact and because of the assistance of either the natural wind, or draft createdby the movement of r i V V 'the'car, tow pe'or blow awaythe snow from the shield portions inclined outwardly and rearwardly from the directioncof travel.

lVhile I have herein illustrated a par- 'ticular embodiment of my invention,it will be'understood by persons skilled in the art 7 that other embodiments may be resorted to,

loo

its

at will, or as may be in keeping with the hereto appended claims. Y

'Having thus described the invention,

what is claimed is:

v 1. A car body having afoldableconverg-i ing shield provided with means for hinging one side edge to the body, means for de tachably securing the other side edge to the body, and means for holding the shield in folded condition when thrown back on its hinge.

2. A shield of the character described comprising foldable transparent portions inclining inwardly and outwardly from a line of juncture therebetween to deflect snow and the like away from the shield, one of said sections being of greater width than the other substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A shield of the character described comprising transparent portions inclining inwardly and outwardly froma line of juncture therebetween to deflect snow and the like away from the shield, one of said sections being of greater width than the other, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A shield of the character described comprising foldable sections having transparent portions, and means for securing the sections in angular relation, the transparent portion of one of the sections overlapping the edge of the transparent portion of the adjacent section.

5. A shield of the character described comprising foldable sections having transparent portions, means for securing the sec tions in angular relation, the transparent portion of one of the sections overlapping the edge of the transparent portion of the adjacent section and projecting a substantial distance outwardly therebeyond.

6. A shield of the character described comprising foldable sections having transparent portions, means for hinging the inner section to a body, and latching and supporting means for the outer section to secure the same to the body with the sections in angular relation.

7. A shield of the character described comprising foldable sections and means for supporting the same in positlon and in open relation to each other in combination with a closure for the space intervening the sections, said closure being mounted to be carried by the foldable sections.

8. A shield of the character described comprising foldable sections, and means for supporting the same in position and in open relation to each other, in combination with closures for the spaces intervening the sections at the top and bottom thereof, said closures being mounted to be carried by said foldable sections.

9. A shield of the character described comprising foldable sections, and means for supporting the same in poslt on and 1n angular relation to each other, in combination with a closure for the space intervening the sections for the purpose set forth, said closure being formed of flexible material secured to the shield sections and adapted to fold therebetween when the shield is folded.

10. A shield of the character described comprising foldable sections, andmeans for supporting the same in position and in angular relation to each. other, in combination with closures for the spaces intervening the sections at the top and bottom thereof for the purpose set forth, said closures being formed of flexible material secured to the shield sections and adapted to fold therebetween when the shield is folded.

11. A shield of the character described comprising foldable sections, a hinge mounting for the edge of the inner section, and means for securing the outer section com prising a projecting part on the latter, and a socket adapted to engage therewith to assist in supporting the outer section.

12. A shield of the character described provided with transparent portions inclining inwardly and outwardly from a line of juncture therebetween, substantially as described.

13. A car body having a foldable converging shield provided with means for securing one side edge to the body, and means for detachably securing the other side edge to the body to permit folding of the shield 011 the body when not in use.

141-. A shield of the character described comprising angularly related transparent portions adapted to deflect snow and the like outwardly and rearwardly therefrom, the line of juncture between the transparent portions being to one side of the center of the shield.

15. A shield of the character described comprising a hinged member, and means for securing the same in closed position including a latch carried by said member, a keeper for the latch, and means enabling the movement of the latch to horizontal or vertical positions comprising a pivot pin therefor, and the latch being provided with a bayonet slot cooperating with said pin, the shield having a stop pin adapted to engage one edge of the latch.

16. A shield of the character described comprising a hinged member, and means for securing the same in closed position includ ing a latch carried by said member, a keeper for the latch, and means enabling the movement of the latch to horizontal or vertical positions comprising a pivot pin therefor, and the latch being provided with a bayonet slot cooperating with said pin, the shield having a stop pin adapted to engage a notched edge of the latcl 17. A shield of the character described comprising a hinge member, means for securing the same in closed position including a latch carried by said member, a keeper for v the latch, means enabling the movement of In testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my the latch to horizontal or vertical positions signature in the presence of two itnesses. comprisin a pivot pin therefor and the T latch being provided With a slot cdoperating HEB RY FROHNAPFEL' 5 With said pin, the shield having a stop pin Vitnesses:

adapted to engage a notched edge of the GI-IARLEs Jar-1mm, latch. 7 LOUIS COLEMAN, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. I). G. 

